


Just A Memory

by PawShapedHeart



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 03:31:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11500881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PawShapedHeart/pseuds/PawShapedHeart
Summary: Years turn to decades and decades turn to centuries. A ghost from the Captain's past returns to haunt him in one specific port. One specific tavern...





	Just A Memory

**Author's Note:**

  * For [catbru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catbru/gifts).



> This is my first attempt at OUAT writing. And thanks to Catbru, I have another bit of work coming soon. This is un-beta'd and originally posted on Tumblr.

After a fateful encounter with the Dark One that sends one Captain Jones on a 200 year quest of revenge, occationally his journey brings him back to port. The same port and tavern where he first met her… his Milah. His crew never noticed the lost look in their Captain’s eyes as they disembark the Jolly Roger and head to the tavern for drinks. Of course he joins them, nursing the same mug of rum all evening until finally everyone is gone except him and the old barkeep who is half deaf and ignores the lone pirate in the corner. He swirls his mug as the liquid sloshed and he hears it… barely a whisper. Its a woman’s laughter. That sound he hasnt heard in a handful of years. Not since… not since _her_. He closes his eyes and listens to the shrill of happiness before he finally looks up and just out of the corner of his eye, the tavern is no longer empty. Dark hair filters past as the woman slams her hand on the table, laughing as the dice before her show her exactly what she wanted to see. Killian looks directly there but just like a dream is destroyed by sunlight, the image fades away. 

He’s back in port soon enough on a supply run for his crew and the demon and once again he stays past closing. He hears the same laughter that haunts his sleepless nights and this time he keeps his eyes downcast, afraid that if he looks she will be gone. “I went to Agrabah again…” He starts just as he always did all those years ago when this port was still her home. He continued to look down at his mug as he retold the stories of his adventure to the land of sand and jewels. He felt his lips curl as the ghost across from him smiled and asked what it smelt like. Lost in his dream, he looked up to smile at her and just as before, she was gone.

Years turn to decades and decades to centuries. The enchanted Jolly returns to port on buisness a few times a year. And those times, the dreaded Captain Hook remains much after closing in the corner booth, talking to his mug of rum as he tells stories of his travels. It continues like this for nearly two centuries. He learned to keep his eyes cast down or to the side, never able to look directly at her knowing once he does, she will vanish like a dream. Of course, he knows shes not really there but a small piece of his heart holds onto hope. So long into the early morning, just before sunrise, the Captain stays talking to his mug, never looking away from the liquid.

Its been a while since The Jolly Roger was spotted in port. The last anyone heard it was sailing to Wonderland with the Queen of Hearts as a passenger. It wasnt until another curse ripped everyone back to the Enchanted Forest, that the ship once again makes port. Crew drunk and merry on the docks, one man sits alone in the darkened corner of the worn tavern. The lanterns are dimmed, and the barkeep has long since retired to his own chambers. But there the Captain sits. His single mug of rum almost gone by the time the early rays of sunlight filter through the dinghy windows. He stares into his drink, heart aching as he remains alone. _She didn’t come._ He closed his eyes and swallowed back the last of his drink, the burn of the liquid all he can feel as he drops gold coins on the table. He stands to take his leave and looked up as the sun streamed into the tavern, casting golden beams of light across the dusty floors. He glances to the side as he aims for the door to return to his ship when he sees it just in the corner of his eye; a flutter of golden silk. His heart clenched in his chest as he turned to get a better look but its gone as soon as he does. He stares at the darkened wall where he swore the fabroc was just a moment ago. When nothing comes to sight, he releases a breath. But the tightness in his chest is replaced by a new, dull ache. A longing for something out of reach. He pushes the tavern door open and steps out into the cool early morning air. He can see the masts of his beloved ship sitting against the golden sunrise. A single word falls from his lips as he closes his eyes to fight off the sting of tears threatening to fall. _Swan…_

**Author's Note:**

> Catbru and I are Angst Queens when it comes to Killian Jones. So through our Tumblr conversations, this little gem was created and together we impart our pain on the rest of the Millian and Captain Swan world. As a Captain Swan shipper I support Millian strongly. Catbru is the opposite; Millian shipper who supports Captain Swan. No hate. No destruction of each other. Just unadulterated love for Killian Jones. (And our own suffering)


End file.
